Love this site, 3 changes to bike over wknd, all worked!

[FutureVentures]

Thanks to the tips on this site, I made 3 successful changes to my bike. Ok sure , one was N oil change BUT the other two, more serious.

 

First, I lowered the front end via posts here. At first getting the inner fairing off confounded me until I saw the obvious bolts. Then it came off easy. The forks, once revealed after removing triple tree and fork covers, not so.

 

At first, they didn't budge. So , I found Freebirds post about how his stuck and he bounced on the floorboards. Well, weighing 160 didn't intimidate my forks and they still resisted. Soooo, I thought there are only two tools a man needs: duct tape and WD40, if it doesn't stick and it should and if it sticks and it shouldn't.

 

WD40 down the forks did the trick, almost too good, plus bouncing onthe floorboards. My magic number of lowering became 1 7/16ths, just because that's where I finally got em even.

 

Reassembled and it is MUCH nicer, flat footed in deck shoes, turns a LOT more easily at slow speeds. It does scrape sooner than before in corners, but not a lot and besides, it's fun!

 

Then, it was time to change the rear tire! Removing was easier than expected, though scary. Again from tips here, with a socket extension and some mild banging, the axle came out nicely. Lifted the bike more, pulled on the tire from right side and it plunked out. Nit wanting to raise the bike too high, I lifted it just enough to pull the tire out from the side. Plus I have a hitch that would have required higher lifting to pull the tire out the back.

 

Used Harbor Freight changer and me and a buddy had old tire off, new tire on in 30 minutes! Squeezed in some "ride-on" for puncture prevention and self balancing. Next, putting the tire back on the bike.

 

After greasing the splines, I was ready to mount. Dang, that whel is heavy! Ended up using cardboard under the wheel to get some xtra height, lowered the bike a bit and snugged the gears into place.

 

Twas "fun" doing this work myself and the bike is handling better to boot! Also nice to have two WWW tires on and not just one.

 

Anyway, thanks guys for all your tips and advice.

 

 

Cheers.

[royalstarjac]

Congrats on tackeling those jobs! Most folks who ride would never consider taking on such work.

[Jethroish]

Little intimidating at first but it sure does feel good when done.

How bout some pics of the WWWs?

[FutureVentures]

Finally got around to replacing the rear tire too. Now, the bike looks right.

 

However, since I replaced the rear months after the front, the whiteness isn't the same! Arrrgggh.

[massey130]

it is great that you got all that work done. the folks on here are great. i wish i could contribute, but all io can do is post what i have done, give thanks & show pics of start to finish. i have new foot pegs to put on & will post that.

 

welcome

 

Dale in La

[FutureVentures]

Ok, now that I've put a few miles on the ride since I lowered her, I have some thoughts.

 

In short, I like it a LOT!

 

I was able to flat foot prior to lowering but, my legs were barely bent and backing the bike up was very difficult. I was also pretty good at maneuvering around in parking lots, so I thought. I do have the ride like a pro DVD's and employ his techniques. However....

 

The lowered front end (1 7/16") makes a big difference for me, wish I had done this sooner. I'm thinking that the main reason is the lower center of gravity combined with reducing the rake of the forks? Dunno for sure, but the bike is just snappier.

 

In any case, it honestly handles like a different bike at slow speeds. It "almost" initiates turns too quickly. Compared to before, it took a bit of getting used to how much quicker it can dive into a slow speed turn.

 

I took it out to the local school parking lot and figure 8's in tight quarters were a breeze.

 

It does indeed scrape the floorboards a bit earlier, but not a lot. I like scraping em so, it's fine.

 

There is a difference in the lean with the kickstand down, no doubt. Doesn't lean as far left so, I will have to be observant when parking on an angle to the right, or back it in.

 

The difference in my legs reaching to the ground is significant, my legs (all 30" inseam of them) are now comfortably bent, providing a lot more leverage for backing or keeping it level at lights in high winds.

 

So far, I have experienced nothing negative about this change and only wished I had done this sooner. Hmmm, having said that the "only" thing I've noticed but have yet to confirm is that at speed, to steal someone's tag line here: the air is a bit pushier on the windscreen. Or, so it seems. Did the angle of my screen change when forks were lowered? Might be my imagination and I need a few more high speed runs to confirm.

 

Thanks again for all the tips here.

 

Cheers.

[1BigDog]

Next time you change that rear tire try using a floor jack under the wheel, coming in from the right side. raise it just a touch to get the pressure off the axle and then you can walk it out and lower it without killing yourself. Same thing for installation. Sure beats hoisting it up there.

[RedRider]

That bike is beautiful with the WWWs. Good work.

 

RR

[FutureVentures]

That bike is beautiful with the WWWs. Good work.

 

RR

 

 

Thanks Man!

 

I have to say, I'm a proud papa.

[FutureVentures]

Next time you change that rear tire try using a floor jack under the wheel, coming in from the right side. raise it just a touch to get the pressure off the axle and then you can walk it out and lower it without killing yourself. Same thing for installation. Sure beats hoisting it up there.

 

Yeah, that's sound advice! I sorta thought of that then realized my 2 ton floor jack is "somewhere" in the rental storage locker.....can't wait to one day upgrade our house to a 3 car garage. Till then, I'll keep buying tools I already have but can't find!